Sunday, 25 October 2015

Two ways out and three ways home - this gig is complicated. Then you
come home, clean the bike, eat, clean yourself, transfer the photos,
edit the photos, copy the strava links and think what you're going to
write....or get to number six on that list and have a doze.

Thanks to Sam's hard work on the kit order everyone was looking smart at
the start. The consensus was to head out together and split somewhere
down the road, so I got to work on a cunning plan. The weather was
dry and crisp as we meandered south towards the Quoile Bridge. There I
offered high road and low road options. Five choose low, heading
straight to Strangford while five choose high, going up through Saul to
Raholp and right eventually on to the coast at Kilief - the perfect road
for 30 second turns averaging 37kph into Strangford with Scotty out
kicking Digger for the 30's.

The early arrivals were well rested by the time we all went to leave
and given the good weather decided to head on round the coast with us as
far as Ardglass where they turned right for Downpatrick and home. The
pace kicked up again as the five of us drove on through Killough
including a cheeky 30's across the bridge. Comrade was feeling ropey
and wisely decided to take a direct hit home with Sean.

That left
three of us and we dialled the pace up to 11 as we headed for a climb
Scotty knew above Minerstown - Scolligs Hill - it was a good one.
Toffypops were being consumed at a horrific rate, as each of us took
turns to blow their biscuits on some amazing lanes across to Drumaness.
After a quick drink stop we powered on to Ballynahinch and finally
lined out to Ballynahinch with two min turns wringing out the last
drops. Digger proved why you never discount a sprinter no matter how
busted he looks!

A really good day out, where hopefully everybody
got what they needed. Overall the distances don't look that different,
although the profiles tell another story and I can vouch that the
hardcore group was giving it plenty....